Lebanon

Fighting intensifies in Syria's Qusair city

May 26 - Amateur video purports to show an airstrike and intense fighting around the Syrian city of Quasair across the border from Lebanon. Jessica Gray reports.

TRANSCRIPT +

A missile explodes in the Syrian city of Qusair.
Just across the border with Lebanon, the community is at the center of fierce fighting between rebels and Syrian government forces backed by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
This amateur video, which cannot be independently verified, purports to show the aftermath of heavy artillery and tank fire on Saturday.
The Syrian opposition claims thousands of fighters from Iran and Hezbollah have entered Syrian territory and are directly involved in these attacks and others in Damascus.
On Saturday, Hezbollah's leader confirmed the group planned to support President Bashar al-Assad's military with its own troops.
Another amateur video is said to show rebels from the Baba Amr brigade shooting at Hezbollah fighters in a Qusair suburb.
The rebels are largely surrounded in the 30,000-strong town that has become a strategic battle ground.
Assad is looking to secure a route between the capital and a Mediterranean stronghold.
But rebels are unwilling to give up the critical supply route ahead of peace talks scheduled for next month in Geneva.
It is believed that Assad's forces have seized around two-thirds of the city so far.

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